Retail bosses warn of £7bn cost burden after Budget November 19, 2024 UK retail bosses have written to the Chancellor to warn of the wide-ranging damage from the Autumn Budget on their sector, including “inevitable” job losses and price rises. In a letter coordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), 79 signatories, including bluechip retailers Tesco, Next, and Greggs, said they had “significant concerns” about the impact [...]
Five things Rachel Reeves should do if she’s serious about growth November 19, 2024 Rachel Reeves’ pensions reforms are welcome, but they are treating the symptoms, not the causes of low growth. Here’s what she should do next…. In her Mansion House speech last week, Rachel Reeves announced the consolidation of the 86 Local Government Pensions Schemes (LGPS) into eight ‘megafunds’, unlocking deep reserves of investment finance. This is [...]
Will Labour’s planning bill actually get Britain building again? November 19, 2024 The UK's planning system is in need of a radical overhaul. Will Labour's Planning and Infrastructure bill deliver? Sam Richards takes a look.
The ‘perfect storm’ is upon us — Britain needs more start-up support November 18, 2024 The largest annual festival of entrepreneurship and start-up events in the world is officially upon us, with a “perfect storm” paving the way for this year’s celebrations in Britain. Global Entrepreneurship Week is traditionally a moment of celebration in Britain — five days a week where budding entrepreneurs and wealth makers come together to support [...]
UK business openings fall to lowest level since 2010 November 18, 2024 New business openings across the UK hit their lowest rate in more than a decade last year.
Darts: Venues, clubs and businesses thrive from Ally Pally showcase November 18, 2024 The nights rolling in at 4pm and no longer being able to resist the temptation of turning on the heating can only mean one thing: the annual darts pilgrimage to Ally Pally is nearly upon us. Because with Luke Littler absolutely romping the Grand Slam of Darts title in Wolverhampton on Sunday, all eyes are [...]
Budget will hurt UK wage growth, Goldman Sachs warns November 18, 2024 UK consumer spending is set to slump next year and dent UK growth, analysts at Goldman Sachs have warned, as the impact of the Budget ripples through the economy. The rise to employers’ national insurance (NI) contributions will lead to slower wage growth for staff and higher costs for consumers, the investment bank wrote in [...]
Insolvencies set to rise as Budget hikes business costs, Begbies Traynor warns November 18, 2024 A combination of elevated interest rates and higher business costs resulting from the Budget is set to lead to a spike in insolvencies, Begbies Traynor has warned. In last month’s Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves increased the amount employers have to pay in NICs by 1.2 per cent, and lowered the wage threshold at which employers [...]
Lower interest rates not enough to rally consumer confidence November 18, 2024 After a steady climb throughout the year so far, consumer confidence dipped in November amid warnings it could continue to fall into 2025. Overall confidence fell from 47.3 in October to 46.9 in November, according to the S&P Global UK Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) survey. The neutral mark is 50. Chief business economist at S&P, [...]
Should investors sell stocks at 52-week high? November 18, 2024 Natwest Group shares reached their 52-week (and 13-year) high earlier this month, closing near 390p per share on 4 November. The new peak was reached after leading broker Peel Hunt upgraded the bank’s price target from 410p to 450p. The share price has surged by more than 50 per cent since the UK government gave [...]